Safety blender jar

ABSTRACT

A liquidizer container having an upwardly tapering shape that is narrow at the top to maximize the assistance of gravity in recirculating the centrifugally swirled material while minimizing deflector sizes on the container wall for optimum capacity of the container. A horizontal flange around the access opening at the top provides an external pouring lip and an internal deflector defining an access opening smaller than the average hand size of users. The flange is shaped to obstruct insertion of a hand but is tapered radially inside the container to facilitate withdrawal of a hand that may have been inserted. The bottom opening receives a cutter-carrying closure that is removable for the full access cleaning of cutters and container.

i United States Patent 72] Inventor Maurice P. Samuelian Welt Hartlord, Conn.

[21 1 Appl. No. 875,998

[22] Filed Nov. I2. 1969 [45] Patented Dec. I4, I97] [73] Assignee Dynamics Corporation of America s4 SAFETY BLENDER JAR [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,172,44 l 3/l965 Hartwig et al. 146/68 A Primary Exuminer-Willie G. Abercrombic Allorney-Harhaugh and Thomas ABSTRACT: A liquidizer container having an upwardly tapering shape that is narrow at the top to maximize the assistance of gravity in recirculating the centrifugally swirled material while minimizing deflector sizes on the container wall for optimum capacity of the container. A horizontal flange around the access opening at the top provides an external pouring lip and an internal deflector defining an access opening smaller than the average hand size of users. The flange is shaped to obstruct insertion of a hand but is tapered radially inside the container to facilitate withdrawal of a hand that may have been inserted. The bottom opening receives a cutter-carrying closure that is removable for the full access cleaning of cutters and container.

Patented Dec. 14, 1971 3,627,00

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //V VE/V TOR MAUR/CE P SAMUEL/AN Attorneys Patented Dec. 14, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

I I I I I r I I I x I 1 I 1 z 1 1 1 I I I I INVE/V TOP. 92 MAURICE P SAMUEL/AN y B Y- \mr flo d 0 1 a 8 2 4 M 8 8 I Q 4 4 4 w a 6 Q 8 f l 6 4 6 P I 8 mm a a M Attorneys.

CROSS-REFERENCE Emmons et al., Ser. No. 850,182, filed Aug. 14, 1969.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTlON Although cutters rotated at high speed in the bottom of open top liquidizer containers have become so familiar that possible inadvertent contact of the cutters by a hand of a user is greatly reduced as a matter of long and careful use, it is desirable to minimize this ever present danger which has heretofore generally been approached by merely providing a container closure with the hope that it will be used when the cutters are running. This presents problems because in many cases if the closures are locked on or fit tightly the tendency is not to bother using them, and if lightly mounted for ease of handling, swirling contents in the container can dislodge them and spill over the edge of the container.

Easy access to the interior of the container and to the cutters for cleaning purposes must be provided so that thick as well as thin liquids can be readily washed from the cutters and the container for sanitation purposes, or, between batches to avoid cross mixing ofdifferent batch ingredients.

In providing wide container openings for ready access and therefore closures for safety, it has been found that although the swirling of the contents acted upon by the cutters at high speeds slows down as the contents move upwardly along conventionally diverging walls to large diameters, the flare of the container wall also tends to lift the swirling contents. Several difficulties occur. Either the volume of contents has to be proportionately less than the total volume of the container to keep from spilling, or radial baffling has been provided, either by deflectors or container shapes that take up substantial space and thereby reduce the effective volume of the container as well as the quantity processable in the container.

Furthermore it was found that comminution of solid objects such as ice cubes, etc., in the contents would lock with the deflectors and block cutter rotation if first placed in the container before starting the cutters so that a closure would be in place when the cutters started. On the other hand if the cutters were running so that cubes could be dropped in without locking the cutters, ice cubes could be propelled back through the opening before the protection of a closure could be established.

Also with the upwardly flared container, mixtures that are viscous are appreciably retarded against inward flow back to the vortex center of the containers as they are driven upwardly along the container wall by the cutters. They are partially supported against gravity by the incline of the wall. This and their adhesiveness with the wall slows up the return action and imposes an increased volume displacement load upon the cutters.

Any of these difficulties have a tendency to induce a reaction in the user to introduce something in the container to free an ice cube or speed up viscous circulation with dangers to the user, the liquidizer and anything inserted, including a persons hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By improving safety factors for users of liquidizers by substantially narrowing the access opening to discourage insertion ofa hand into the container and by facilitating removal of a hand ifinserted, and then removing the cutter assembly from the bottom of the container to make it easy to scrub the foodcontacting parts directly with a brush through a wide opening, it was found that not only were safety and sanitary conditions substantially improved but liquidizing conditions were also substantially improved as well as appearances and ease of handling the container. The taper of the wall accelerated the swirling action as the contents were driven toroidally up the container wall. The inward incline of converging sides and a flange at the access opening operated more effectively to prevent spill from the opening. Regardless of viscosity the inward and downward return flow of the contents back to the cutters centrally through the bowl was enhanced by the inward incline of the container wall. Radially directed deflectors disposed vertically on the inside wall of the container could be greatly minimized in a radial direction and thereby provided greater effective container volume as well as enabled their lower ends to be located above the cutting zone of the cutters. Ice could be present before or after starting the cutters with no jams nor ice flying from the container.

Moreover, a smaller closure having a smaller diameter snap acting resilient closure is used which is easily distorted manually in several ways for easy application and removal to encourage greater use of the closure for safety. Also a container stronger at the top and protected at its largest opening by a metal collar to resist damage is provided which is easier to mold, handle and pour from without drippage.

These and other advantages of the present invention will appear from the following drawings and description relating thereto.

DESCRlPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a blender embodying the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the blender taken along the lines 2-2 in FIG. l showing the jar portion of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the blender taken along the lines 3-3 in H6. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the top of the blender jar in FIG. 3 with the cover in place.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. l in further detail, a liquidizer is illustrated having a power unit it) removably supporting a container assembly 12 comprising a cutter-carrying base member M that releasably closes in supporting relationship the bottom opening of an upwardly tapering jar portion 16 that is closed at the top opening 11116 by a closure 20.

The power unit Ml includes a housing 22 supported on legs 26, with a series wound motor (not shown) supported therein below a switch panel platform 26 that [has a collar 30 thereon. The wall 32 (FIG. 3) of the collar 30 defines a cavity 341 having four angularly spaced resilient L-shaped inserts which serve as lugs 36 to receive the base member 14 in weight bearing and nonrotative relationship. The upper end of the vertical motor shaft 46 is joumaled in a bearing 42 located in the center of the bottom of the cavity 34 exposing the threaded end portion 44 to which is attached the drive element 46 as more particularly described in Emmons et al., Ser. No. 850,182, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Suffice to point out here that the container assembly 112 is so located on the power unit Ml that the lugs 36 are received in the vertical grooves 56 provided in the base member M to hold the base member 116 in readily releasable nonrotative engagement for ease of removal.

A wall 52 inwardly defines a cavity M below a cross wall 56 having a flat surface 60 surrounding a bearing receiving opening 62 therethrough that is coaxial with the shaft 40. The sidewall 64 of the cavity is cylindrical and is bordered by a circular groove 66 at the top thereof which receives the upper end of a helical compression spring 68.

The cutter assembly '76 received in the opening 62 includes a sleeve 72 received through the opening 62 having a radial flange 74 that rests on the upper face of the cross wall with a washer gasket 76 therebetween. The lower end of the sleeve 72 receives an inverted cap member 76 against the flat surface 60 and receives a washer 60 and nut 62 for holding the sleeve and cup tightly in place in sealed relationship.

The cup member 73 has a flange 66 whose marginaledge is located close to the cylindrical wall 6 and a circular sleeve 66 telescopes between the flange 64 and the cylindrical wall 641. The circular sleeve has an inwardly directed flange 88 which supports the lower end of the spring 68 and engages the flange 84 for limited downward movement. The lower end of the sleeve has an outwardly flared flange 90 which engages the bottom edge 92 of the base member 32 when the spring 68 is compressed. Thus, as a safety factor, when the spring is not compressed by the weight of the jar being present the drive coupling does not engage.

A bearing 94 is press fitted in the sleeve 72 and journals a driven shaft 96 which carries cutters 98 at the upper end defining a cutting zone. A running washer seal 100 is disposed between the bearing 94 and cutters 98. The lower end of the shaft 96 is shouldered as at 102 for axial support and receives the driven clutch element 104.

Around the cutting zone the wall of the jar adjacent to its wide opening is externally reinforced during operation by a circular flange 106 on the base member. Coarse threads 108 and 110 interconnect the members and are released for cleaning purposes. A gasket 112 seals the joint when the threads are tightened.

The jar portion 16 is best described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 and is seen to be essentially frustoconical in shape tapering upwardly until it terminates in the upper opening 114 which, by way of comparison, preferably has an area that is approximately one-third the area of the lower opening 116 at a height approximately twice the outside diameter of the lower end in the proportions illustrated in the drawing. The upper opening 114 preferably has a diameter of about ZAinches and is therefore smaller than the area required to receive the average size hand of users. The opening 114 is defined by the inwardly directed tapering flange 118 which is provided with the convexly curved rib 120 and the downwardly and inwardly facing guide surface 122. A concave surface 124 above the rib 120 provides a guideway for the closure and terminates in the planar upper surface 126 of the flange 118. The flatness of the top 126 of the flange makes insertion of even a very small hand difficult while the taper of the lower wall aids the removal of any hand forced through the opening. The lower opening 116 has a diameter of about 4 inches, equal to almost one-half ofthe height of the jar portion 16.

The jar 16 is preferably molded from a translucent material such as glass or a suitable plastic and preferably includes as part of it the outwardly extending circumferential pouring lip 128 and the elongated grip beads or grooves 130.

The inner surface of the jar 16 is provided with the longitudinal deflectors 132 joining the flange 118 at the top and terminating above the level of the cutters 98 or cutting zone to provide a circular wall around the cutting zone where the cutters may engage solid objects. Preferably the deflectors are four in number and are uniformly spaced to retard the swirl of the container contents. They need not extend far radially due to the inward slope of the container wall. In the relationship illustrated they have a radial height of about two-tenths of an inch. At the places where the deflectors are located the exterior wall is recessed to provide finger grip grooves for handling the container at 133.

The closure (FIGS. 1 and 4) is constructed of a resilient nontoxic vinyl compound and is provided with an upper handgrip portion 138 having a grip wall 142 marginally engaging the planar surface 126. An axially directed lower flange portion 134 depends from the upper portion and has a frustoconical end portion 136 of a size to interfere with the circumferential rib 120 whereby it snaps into place with a resilient engaging relationship as guided by the guide surface 122 when applied and prevents any overflow from the container. The sealing tightness required is substantially less than that which would enable lifting the jar by the closure but still enough that the jar could be inadvertently upset by trying to lift by the closure.

Accordingly, although the upper portion 138 of the closure is provided with whatever external design is desired, the internal construction of the closure includes four diametrically disposed intersecting struts 140 extending across the circle defined by the handgrip flange 142. These radially support the axial flange 134 and also serve as auxiliary deflectors if need be. Four intermediate struts 141 are disposed radially between said handgrip flange and said axial flange 134 whereby they alternate circumferentially with respect to the intersecting struts. Thereby the axial flange 134 can be distorted inwardly by pressure applied radially through said intermediate struts 141 when said grip wall 142 is manually distorted between said intersecting struts. The end portion 136 bows out of its planar orientation and releases the snap engagement of the end portion 136 whereby the closure may be removed with ease with a slight tilt thereof. The molded struts 140 serve to strengthen the closure and deploy the structure for these results without appreciably increasing the weight or cost of the closure.

The base member 14 of the container assembly 12 and its included elements functions to cut, centrifugate and swirl the contents during the liquidizing process. In this, the centrifugated material is swirled up along the inner wall of the container 16 by the constant stream of further material being swirled outwardly under it by the cutters, and, as the material swirls higher, it is confined to a smaller radius of revolution whereby an increased angular velocity effect is induced in its flow.

The function of the deflectors 132 is to direct the swirling contents toward the axis of cutter rotation where the contents can fall or be pulled'downwardly by the cavitating or vortexing effect of the cutter blades 98. Not only is the turbulence accompanying the increased velocity between the swirling contents and the deflectors more forceful at the wall of the container but the recirculation is even further improved by the inward slope of the container which applies an inward and downward force assisting the effect of gravity on the upsurging material. This tends to drop the contents through the center of the container and improves the conditions for handling viscous materials with side deflectors of lesser radial height. Moreover the full length of the deflectors can be employed and when the container is nearly filled to the top the material that might surge over the side of the container is deflected inwardly by the flange 118 and the deflectors joined thereto at the top. Thereby, any upward motion which is not stopped by the inwardly sloping inner wall is obstructed by the flange 1 18. The lower face 122 thereof deflects and counteracts all remaining upward force of the material and recirculates it.

When solid particles are placed in the container, the cutters will not jam them against the deflectors 132 since the deflectors terminate above the level of the cutter blades 98. Also the danger of injury from flying particles is minimized since the access opening presents a very small window" 114 through which cutter flung objects may fly. They generally strike the inner wall of the jar portion 16 and lose energy in bouncing around in the container.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention and its structure and mode of operation, it will be observed how modification can be provided without departing from the inventive concept evolved for greater safety with improved operation for various volumes.

1 claim:

1. In a liquidizer, a liquidizing container comprising:

a jar member having an upwardly tapering wall open at both ends;

a radially directed annular flange means at the top thereof having an outwardly directed pouring lip and tapering inwardly to have a concave guideway and annular rib defining an access opening of substantially reduced size, and providing a downward and inwardly facing deflector wall on its lower side;

a base member releasably closing the bottom opening in sealed relationship;

a cutter assembly including a shaft joumaled in the base member carrying cutters transcribing a cutting zone around its inner end and having a driven element on its upper end for rotating the assembly to swirl contents of the container towards said deflector wall; and

a closure means for said access opening having a resilient depending flange enlarged at its lower end to engage in interfering sealing relation with said annular rib for releasable support on said flange means;

said access opening being smaller than the average size hands of users to obstruct insertion of a hand; and

said bottom opening having a size larger enough to receive the hand of most users for cleaning purposes.

2. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 1 wherein the diameter of said top access opening is approximately Zlinches.

3. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim I wherein said wall internally has vertically extending'deflectors which in cooperation with the converging inclination of the wall directs the swirling contents in the container upwardly and inwardly to the center of the jar member at the higher levels reached by said contents 4. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 3 wherein the lower ends of said deflectors are above the level of said cutting zone to provide a circular cutting zone above the lower opening of the jar around the cutters journaled in the jar.

5. The combination called for in claim 3 in which said deflectors are of uniform cross section shape throughout their length and terminally join said access opening flange to direct inwardly and downwardly contents reaching that level.

6. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 1 in which said flange means including said radially outwardly extended circumferential pouring lip has the upper surfaces of said flange and lipsubstantially at the same level.

'7. A liquidizerjar comprising:

an upwardly tapering wall having a top access opening and a bottom opening. said access opening being too small to receive human hands therethrough of a size most users have and said bottom opening having an area large enough to receive hands of most users;

a radially inturned flange in said access opening having an internally tapering mouth with a circumferential rib and a radially extending pouring lip, said flange and lip being substantially located at the same level;

closure means having a depending flange terminally enlarged diametrically to a size interfering with said rib to engage said circumferential rib in snap sealing relationship;

a base member including a bottom wall and an upstanding flange encompassing the rim of said bottom opening in rotatably sealed relationship;

a cutter assembly including a shaft rotatably journaled in said bottom wall and connectable to a drive motor; and

vertically extending deflector convolutions in said wall having lower termini above the level of said cutter and upper termini at said radially inturned flange and cooperating with said tapered wall to inwardly direct to the center of said jar contents of the jar swirling upwardly from said cutter along said wall.

8. in a liquidizer, a Iiquidizing container comprising:

ajar member having an upwardly tapering wall open at both ends;

vertically disposed radially projecting deflectors extending to the upper end of said wall;

a radially tapering annular flange at the top of said wall and deflectors defining an access opening of substantially reduced size;

a base member releasably closing the bottom opening in sealed relationship;

a cutter assembly including cutters mounted on a shaft jour naled in the base and defining a cutting zone in the bot tom of said wall below the lower ends of said deflectors; and

a closure means for said access opening releasably supported on said flange and having a portion received in said access opening in snap engagement with said flange;

said access opening being smaller than the average size hands of users to obstruct insertion of a hand; said bottom opening having a size larger enough to recelve the hand of most users for cleaning purposes.

9. The combination called for in claim 8 in which the inside radial depth of the flange is appreciably greater than the radial height of said deflector on the inside wall of the jar member.

10. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 8 in which said flange has a circumferential rib defining said access opening and said closure means has a resilient depending flange in interference engagement with said circumferential rib in a snap sealing relationship.

llll. The combination called for in claim 8 in which said wall at the deflectors are externally depressed to provide finger grip recesses for handling said container with a radially extending flange bordering the tops of said recesses.

B2. A combination with a liquidizer container having a flange whose inner edge defines an access opening;

a closure made of a resilient material having an upstanding handgrip wall engaging the top of the flange with an edge normally defining a circle which when gripped radially operates to axially distort the edge of the wall from a cir cle;

a resilient axial flange having an external circular ridge element of a size larger than said opening received in said opening in snap engagement when said wall edge engages the flange;

said axial flange being axially supported by said grip wall and being distorted in limited areas when said grip wall is pressure distorted to lift the axial flange axially and progressively release said snap engagement.

U. A liquidizerjar in accordance with claim l2 wherein:

said closure is provided with a predetermined number of diametrically disposed intersecting struts across the circle defined by said handgrip wall; and

with partial radial intermediate struts disposed between said handgrip wall and said axial flange staggered with respect to said intersecting struts;

said axial flange being distorted by pressure applied through said intermediate struts when said grip wall is distorted between said intersecting struts. 

1. In a liquidizer, a liquidizing container comprising: a jar member having an upwardly tapering wall open at both ends; a radially directed annular flange means at the top thereof having an outwardly directed pouring lip and tapering inwardly to have a concave guideway and annular rib defining an access opening of substantially reduced size, and providing a downward and inwardly facing deflector wall on its lower side; a base member releasably closing the bottom opening in sealed relationship; a cutter assembly including a shaft journaled in the base member carrying cutters transcribing a cutting zone around its inner end and having a driven element on its upper end for rotating the assembly to swirl contents of the container towards said deflector wall; and a closure means for said access opening having a resilient depending flange enlarged at its lower end to engage in interfering sealing relation with said annular rib for releasable support on said flange means; said access opening being smaller than the average size hands of users to obstruct insertion of a hand; and said bottom opening having a size larger enough to receive the hand of most users for cleaning purposes.
 2. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 1 wherein the diameter of said top access opening is approximately 2 1/2 inches.
 3. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 1 wherein said wall internally has vertically extending deflectors which in cooperation with the converging inclination of the wall directs the swirling contents in the container upwardly and inwardly to the center of the jar member at the higher levels reached by said contents.
 4. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 3 wherein the lower ends of said deflectors are above the level of said cutting zone to provide a circular cutting zone above the lower opening of the jar around the cutters journaled in the jar.
 5. The combination called for in claim 3 in which said deflectors are of uniform cross section shape throughout their length and terminally join said access opening flange to direct inwardly and downwardly contents reaching that level.
 6. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 1 in which said flange means including said radially outwardly extended circumferential pouring lip has the upper surfaces of said flange and lip substantially at the same level.
 7. A liquidizer jar comprising: an upwardly tapering wall having a top access opening and a bottom opening, said access opening being too small to receive human hands therethrough of a size most users have and said bottom opening having an area large enough to receive hands of most users; a radially inturned flange in said access opening having an internally tapering mouth with a circumferential rib and a radially extending pouring lip, said flange and lip being substantially located at the same level; closure means having a depending flange terminally enlarged diametrically to a size interfering with said rib to engage said circumferential rib in snap sealing relationship; a base member including a bottom wall and an upstanding flange encompassing the rim of said bottom opening in rotatably sealed relationship; a cutter assembly including a shaft rotatably journaled in said bottom wall and connectable to a drive motor; and vertically extending deflector convolutions in said wall having lower termini above the level of said cutter and upper termini at said radially inturned flange and cooperating with said tapered wall to inwardly direct to the center of said jar contents of the jar swirling upwardly from said cutter along said wall.
 8. In a liquidizer, a liquidizing container comprising: a jar member having an upwardly tapering wall open at both ends; vertically disposed radially projecting deflectors extending to the upper end of said wall; a radially tapering annular flange at the top of said wall and deflectors defining an access opening of substantially reduced size; a base member releasably closing the bottom opening in sealed relationship; a cutter assembly including cutters mounted on a shaft journaled in the base and defining a cutting zone in the bottom of said wall below the lower ends of said deflectors; and a closure means for said access opening releasably supported on said flange and having a portion received in said access opening in snap engagement with said flange; said access opening being smaller than the average size hands of users to obstruct insertion of a hand; said bottom opening having a size larger enough to receive the hand of most users for cleaning purposes.
 9. The combination called for in claim 8 in which the inside radial depth of the flange is appreciably greater than the radial height of said deflector on the inside wall of the jar member.
 10. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 8 in which said flange has a circumferential rib defining said access opening and said closure means has a resilient depending flange in interference engagement with said circumferential rib in a snap sealing relationship.
 11. The combination called for in claim 8 in which said wall at the deflectors are externally depressed to provide finger grip recesses for handling said container with a radially extending flange bordering the tops of said recesses.
 12. A combination with a liquidizer container having a flange whose inner edge defines an access opening; a closure made of a resilient material having an upstanding handgrip wall engaging the top of the flange with an edge normally defining a circle which when gripped radially operates to axially distort the edge of the wall from a circle; a resilient axial flange having an external circular ridge element of a size larger than said opening received in said opening in snap engagement when said wall edge engages the flange; said axial flange being axially supported by said grip wall and being distorted in limited areas when said grip wall is pressure distorted to lift the axial flange axially and progressively release said snap engagement.
 13. A liquidizer jar in accordance with claim 12 wherein: said closure is provided with a predetermined number of diametrically disposed intersecting struts across the circle defined by said handgrip wall; and with partial radial intermediate struts disposed between said handgrip wall and said axial flange staggered with respect to said intersecting struts; said axial flange being distorted by pressure applied through said intermediate struts when said grip wall is distorted between said intersecting struts. 